Circle of Life

26.

It had been four days since that tragedy happened, zoey had never left her parents side. She just took naps which is just over thirty-minutes each, it was already 11:50 in the evening and tomorrow is her parents last night.

Stacey together with her parents had arrived already the day after emmeline and hansley death, stacey saw her friend spacing out again while she was sitted beside her parents casket. "Hey", she started and hold its hand.

"You should be resting already, wala ka ng tulog", stacey uttered looking so worried about her friend.

"I'm fine stacey", zoey simply uttered and smiled a bit.

"You know tita wouldn't like to see you at this state zoe, tita and tito would be sad".

Thoughts of Zoey's parents passing away and the revelation she had known never really leave her head. She's very thankful to the support and effort the family was doing.

"Stacey, am I too much?", Zoey unexpectedly asked out of the blue.

"Too much? What do you mean? I knew there's something wrong about you but I step aside it as I know you're grieving for tita and tito passing away.", Stacey stated, curiosity was arousing also on her she can read Zoey very well and she knows something is bugging her aside from the mere fact of that. "So what's wrong?"

"Mommy and I wasn't in good terms when she passed away, cee. I don't know if you call that one a fight or what.", she said as tears was building on her eyes again. Remembering that night was so tragic and suffocating for her.

"Why? Wanna tell me?", Stacey asked softly.

"I'm just an adopted daughter stacey", sambit na mahina ni Zoey.

"What?!", she half-shouted leaving everyone looking at them.

"Lower down your voice and please sit down", pakiusap ni Zoey.

"Teka lang ha, I can't just stiffle this no. Let's go outside and talk please", Sabi ni Stacey which Zoey nod. She needs this one, she needed someone whom she can talk to.

She went to the garden are dahil walang masiyadong taon Doon, it's peaceful.

"What are you talking about Zoe? Anong Hindi di si tita, Ikaw niloloko mo ba Ako ha?", she asked directly.

"Do I look like I'm joking right now? Ni Ako nga Hindi makapaniwala when I learned about it", sagot naman nito just sitting while Stacey was standing.

"How? Paano? Siraulo ka ba. You grew up in US Kasama ko even when you were a child"

"I also don't know, I wasn't able to know the reason as I walk out. Hindi ko kaya. They lied yca, they lied about my whole being", sagot nito and crossed her legs.

"How? Sino din? If it's not tita and Tito your biological parents, who then?", she ask.

"Do you know who's helping us?", she asked.

"Yes, Sila Yung tumawag to inform us. The Marcos, why?"

"Sila.", tanging tugon lang nito.

"Sino Sila? Hello Zoe and dami nila", Saad nito.

"The woman over there", she said and look. It was Irene who's busy on the table for the snacks.

"Tita Irene?", tugon nito. Tumango naman si Zoey.

"Kaya pala", sagot ni Stacey.

"Kaya pala?", she curiously ask.

"Wala", sagot naman ni Stacey.

"Please tell me yca", sagot naman ni Zoey Ng madiin

"Hayst. Well I saw tita the other day crying. Tas I always noticed na tumingin Siya Sayo. She also check on you everytime you went upstairs to rest. She always make sure to ask others if you eat na ba or not. Now I understand. Tita Imee also checks on you as well as tita Liza but to tita Irene it was different", Saad nito. Nagulat naman si Zoey she doesn't know.